From the advertising I've seen - and now this poster - I assume we're getting Rock and Cena as co-captains of a Survivor Series team. Not sure that's what I'd do, but I'm sure they have a well thought-out logical long-term plan.

From a pure money-making perspective, this makes some sense. Wrestlemania will draw because it's Wrestlemania and because Rock/Cena is still a major attraction. If you have Rock's actual return on a lesser show, that lesser show suddenly gets a major boost to PPV buyrates. Hell, at this rate, it wouldn't surprise me to see Rock in the Royal Rumble.

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." --- Bart Giamatti, on baseball

From an historic standpoint, we'll never know how much Rock's first match would've drawn at Wrestlemania, but as a tag match I think it only takes the edge off a little bit. Assuming they can help themselves from asking him to wrestle a bunch between November and March, which they probably can't. I too wouldn't be surprised to see him in the Rumble and then it's "we could do a 4.0 if we advertise Rock in a match on Raw!" But like B2 said, they can now do two huge buyrates, one for Rock's first match and another for the Rock/Cena dream match, which, with the Mania name and a good final buildup, will probably still end up being the most-purchased show ever. And you can shoot an angle with Rock and Cena during/after the SurSer match so it's the important phase 1 of the real build to Rock vs. Cena.

Tag match or Survivor Series match? I'd say tag match, because teaming them with two other guys dilutes the issue of Rock and Cena teaming, even if rounding out Team Bring It would give some guys the rub. It would be cool if Miz was an opponent since he was involved with them from last WM, but unfortunately Miz and R-Truth are probably not a strong enough team. It would have to be Miz, Truth, and Del Rio or something like that. Or Del Rio and Triple H if HHH has turned by then, as it would be fun to see Rock and HHH do their spots again. I'd be most intrigued by having Punk involved since he's butted his way in to all those guys' business and Punk/Rock interactions would be fun if Punk can come back to earth from Shoot Shooterson mode. (Rock & Cena vs. HHH & Punk parejas increibles. Rock/Cena/HHH/Punk vs. Los Rudos de Raw.)

Meltzer says they have a full Survivor Series card planned out (but not one for the next two PPVs). As of now, it's Rock/Cena/Punk/Sheamus vs. Los Rudos de Raw, Del Rio/Truth/Miz/somebody (Triple H if he turns). Rock will do 1-2 Raws in November.

I guess Loljk joined the WWE booking committee because when he mentioned throwing Rock in a match or two to knock the rust off before Wrestlmania, and almost everyone here called him crazy and how bad of an idea it would be.There has been talk on wrestling sites that the WWE had been pushing The Rock to get back in the ring before WM as they sure seem to be a bit desperate between rushing Punk back and having The Rock wrestle at Survivor Series. That said, they'll still get the big WM buyrate and highly likely a bigger than usual SS buyrate.

Originally posted by graves9I guess Loljk joined the WWE booking committee because when he mentioned throwing Rock in a match or two to knock the rust off before Wrestlmania, and almost everyone here called him crazy and how bad of an idea it would be.

Originally posted by redsoxnationSo, those who were called fools for saying there would be matches to remove rust before Mania turned out to be right?

Yes.

Yes.

An apology is owed. ALTHOUGH, a big part of the assertion that got balked at was that there should be like a bunch of matches over the course of the year and not just one.

I assume the reason they pulled Cena from the Punk feud was so he wouldn't be any more exposed by Punk than he already was and also so he wouldn't have to resort to heelish acts saving all of these possibilities for The Rock. Because really, Punk's beef was with Cena. He's the face of the company and he divides the crowd. Cena can't go into his feud with The Rock anything but the John Cena we've seen for the last ten years or however long it has been.

Sure the Rock/Cena is the WWE's golden goose, but when they stumble into Punk/Cena, something that could be game changing, it makes them antsy to go all in. Any other year they ride Punk and Cena all the way to Wrestle Mania and I think they get there no problem.

Rock wrestling early is a nice way to spike other PPV buys, but oh what a disaster if he is too rusty and injures something.

Originally posted by JustinShapiroMeltzer says they have a full Survivor Series card planned out (but not one for the next two PPVs). As of now, it's Rock/Cena/Punk/Sheamus vs. Del Rio/Truth/Miz/somebody (Triple H if he turns).

The Quick and Dirty for WWE SmackDown 1.23.09 from Omaha, Nebraska. * Note: I'm lazy and so I didn't time the matches, instead choosing to use our very own geemoney's match timings from his review over at The Torch (pwtorch.com).